Ware washing equipment is employed to clean soiled utensils used most typically in bars and restaurants. A three bay commercial sink is used to provide a wash bay, rinse bay and a sanitize bay before allowing the utensils such as pots, pans, and glasses to air dry. The ware washing equipment becomes soiled and contaminated from use due to bacteria. In order to maintain sanitation, the pH, alkalinity, turbidity, quaternary ammonium level, in relation to its required water temperature in the sink bays must be measured and maintained.
Currently food service establishments rely on low paid kitchen labor to monitor and change the water and supply the necessary chemicals in ware washing. Reliance on their diligence is misplaced and can lead to contamination and failed health code inspections. Cleaning stations for soiled utensils are typically located adjacent to food preparation. The need for proper ware washing is required not only due to the location of such cleaning stations but also due to possible cross contamination when the wares are immediately placed back into service. For this reason, the cleaning stations become a primary area of concern when dealing with food related illnesses.
The CDC estimated that food borne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations, and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. Known pathogens account for an estimated 14 million illnesses, 60,000 hospitalizations, and 1,800 deaths. Three pathogens, Salmonella, Listeria, and Toxoplasma are responsible for 1,500 deaths each year; more than 75% of those are caused by known pathogens, while unknown agents account for the remaining 62 million illnesses, 265,000 hospitalizations, and 3,200 deaths. More than 200 known diseases are transmitted through food. Surveillance of food borne illness is complicated by several factors. The first is underreporting, although food borne illnesses can be severe or even fatal, milder cases are often not detected through routine surveillance. Second, many pathogens transmitted through food are also spread through water or from person to person, thus obscuring the cause of food borne transmission. Finally, some proportion of food borne illness is caused by pathogens or agents that have not yet been identified and thus cannot be diagnosed. For instance, Listeria monocytogenes and Cyclospora cayetanensis were not recognized as caused of food borne illness just 20 years ago. (see CDC issue Vol. 5, No.5).
In February of 2008, ABC reported on an undercover investigation where it was shown that hotel drinking glasses were so dirty they could pose a serious risk to health. While Arizona health code requires that hotel drinking glasses be “cleaned and sanitized,” using a dishwasher or three-compartment sink, three of the four hotels that ABC tested failed by not replacing dirty glasses with clean ones or using only a towel or sponge to wipe glasses before putting them back out for the next guest. Testing hotels from Kansas City to Cincinnati to Baltimore, 11 of the 15 hotels tested did not take dirty glasses out of the room for cleaning and sanitizing. (see ABC15 investigation report Feb. 12, 2008).
U.S. Pat. No. 4,872,466 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,810,306 disclose a commercial ware washer in which racks of soiled ware are consecutively washed through a machine cycle which includes recirculating wash water over the ware followed by a fresh water spray rinse. A portion of the wash water is drained and a second portion is intentionally retained in the machine during the rinse period after each rack of dishes is washed. The retained portion is thereby combined with the fresh rinse water to provide a volume of water sufficient for pumped wash recirculation for the next rack without cavitation, while enabling usage of a minimum quantity of rinse water required to provide effective rinsing. Reduced water consumption, reduced energy to heat the water and reduced chemical usage (detergents, sanitizers and rinse agents) are all possible in amounts and degrees depending upon the type and design of ware washer with which the method and apparatus is employed.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,439,242 discloses a low hot water volume ware washer. A rack-type high capacity ware washing machine is designed to cleanse and sanitize food ware in a cycle time of the order of one minute and to accomplish sanitizing by heating the food ware with fresh hot water sufficiently to kill residual bacteria thereon. The method of operation of the machine includes a final rinse period in which fresh water at a temperature of at least 180 DEG F. (82.22 DEG C.) is sprayed over the food ware to remove residual soil and to heat the food ware surfaces to at least 160 DEG F. (71.11 DEG C.), followed by a dwell period in which the wet heated food ware is maintained in a substantially closed humid atmosphere to prolong the time during which the food ware surfaces remain above bacteria killing temperature and to cause a build-up of Heat Unit Equivalents to at least 3600.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,660,194 discloses a wash water system for retrofitting a pre-wash tank or sink includes a plurality of spray nozzles which extend along an inner surface of a back wall of a pre-wash sink wherein the spray nozzles are in flow communication with a discharge side of a water circulating pump. A return conduit is provided wherein the return conduit extends vertically downward along the inner back wall of the sink a preselected distance and is in flow communication with a suction or intake side of said pump. The sink is provided with a bottom wall with at least one opening therein and a heater is provided with a conduit extending from the heater to and in flow communication with the opening in the bottom wall of the sink. A vertically extending first filter device is placed along the back wall of the sink over the openings into the return conduits to the suction side of the pump and a second filter device is placed over the opening in the bottom wall of the sink.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,277,290 discloses soiled food ware cleaned in a batch-type machine in which the food ware is subjected to a washing cycle and a chemical sanitizing rinsing cycle. A controlled flow of fresh preheated rinse water is supplied to an accumulation tank during the wash cycle while a drying agent is optionally added to the water in the tank. Thereafter, the rinse cycle is initiated by pumping the accumulated fresh water into a rinse line at a predetermined pressure to provide uniform flow in the rinse line. A liquid chemical sanitizing agent is then introduced directly into the uniform flow of water in the rinse line. This sequence of operations provides a desired uniform water pressure, independent of water supply pressure, for effective rinsing action and accurate metering of sanitizing agent into the uniform flow of water in the rinse line. Direct introduction of sanitizing agent into the rinse line minimizes contact time between the sanitizing agent and the fresh rinse water, which may contain a drying agent relatively incompatible with the sanitizing agent. Controlled flow of preheated rinse water into the accumulation tank during substantially the entire wash cycle minimizes the energy requirements of the system by reducing the heat losses in the machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,756,321 discloses a chemical dispenser and controller for industrial dishwashers. The level of detergent concentration in the dishwasher wash water is measured in logarithmically scaled unit, and the target detergent concentration level is specified in similar units. The dishwasher's controller converts wash water conductivity measurements into logarithmically scaled detergent concentration measurements. The unit of measurement for these logarithmically scaled measurements are called “Beta” units. The controller also monitors the detergent concentration level and generates an alarm if the measured detergent concentration fails to increase by at least a predefined amount while the detergent feeding mechanism is turned on. Another feature of the controller is that it generates an alarm if the measured detergent concentration fails to reach its target level after the detergent feeding mechanism has been on for a predetermined time period. Further, the controller includes different control strategies for conveyor and batch type dishwashers, including a control method for conserving rinse agent and detergent in batch type dishwashers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,781,206 discloses a commercial ware washer that consecutively washes racks of soiled ware, such as dishes, through a machine cycle which includes recirculating wash water over the ware followed by a fresh water spray rinse. Part of the wash water is drained and a second portion is retained in the machine after each rack of dishes is washed, then combined with subsequent fresh rinse water spray to provide a volume of water sufficient for pumped wash recirculation for the next rack without cavitation. When a drain valve is opened, water pressure to the wash arm system is reduced, flow through it decreases, and when the pump stops the wash system will drain by gravity to the lowest point in the wash system plumbing. In the meantime the pump discharges wash water until the level of water in the sump and/or its associated outlet pipe reaches the level of the pump impeller eye. The pump begins to cavitate and effectively ceases to pump water.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,456,022 discloses a flatware apparatus that comprises a support platform, mechanical arrangements for mounting the platform, and respective washing and rinsing sprays. The platform is adapted to receive a cylindrical cup or holder for grouping a plurality of flatware pieces in a shock; and a drive arrangement is provided for causing rotation of the platform, or the cup or holder, so that the flatware pieces experience agitated movement. The wash spray is positioned to direct jets of washing and sanitizing fluid into the path of the churning flatware pieces. Mechanical arrangements are also provided for selectively lifting the flatware pieces in the cup in order to fully expose the food-contact surfaces thereof to the washing action.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,581,836 discloses a compact washing and sanitizing unit and method for cleaning and drying food service trays as well as other articles after being serially loaded in an upright manner in guide tracks that lead through the unit so that the trays process one at a time through adjacent washing and drying stations of the unit. After being manually loaded, an operator by exerting a displacement force on a last loaded tray urges preceding trays through the unit by virtue of their edge-to-edge physical contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,436 discloses Improvements in pot and pan washing machines (as opposed to dishwashing machines and drinking glass washing machines); a device adapted to receive large pots and pans used in cooking operations in a restaurant or the like which is downstream, typically, in the work process of cleaning pots and pans, from an initial scraping and scrapping tank, then, typically, is followed by a rinsing tank, the latter then followed by a sanitizer tank; a pot and pan washer tank utilizing a multiplicity of relatively high velocity, underwater, spaced apart water input jets on one wall thereof which provide a tank-wide circulating flow from upper back to lower front and then upwards and back within the tank from the front wall, the jet nozzles being positioned below the operating water level, there preferably being an overflow opening above the jet nozzles and pipes associated therewith, a pump circulating water from a lower portion of the tank at one side thereof to the noted jet nozzles, a faucet being preferably provided above said overflow opening for initially filling or refilling the tank and controlling the level of water therewithin for various purposes involved in the carrying out of the washing of the pots and pans; improvements in pot and pan washing devices where relatively unclean pots and pans from a scraping and scrapping tank or operation may be continuously fed into such device which continuously operates, the clean or more clean pots and pans, after an interval therewithin; continuously being removed from said tank to be passed to a rinsing step.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,021,788 discloses an apparatus that circulates and agitates a liquid cleansing solution in a sink by means of gas jet bubbles, in order to clean dirty articles therein. The basic device comprises a base structure, a pressurized gas supply, hollow jet nozzle means disposed in the sink, the jet nozzle means having a sealed end and a plurality of apertures thereon for gas ejection, so as to produce gas bubble jet streams which scrub and clean the articles by both article impact and agitation of the liquid cleansing solution. Preheating of the pressurized gas, coupled with a manifold heat exchanger in the cleansing solution, provides the means for heating the cleansing solution. Temperature control means are then used to maintain the temperature of the cleansing solution against cooling. Alternately, the heat source may include a separate liquid heater. The warmed gas may also be used to dry the articles after washing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,939,974 relates to a system for monitoring and controlling food service requirements in a food service establishment. It includes a main computer with appropriate peripherals and an interface unit. The interface unit is connected to the main computer and is also connected to a plurality of monitoring devices, some of which monitor essential food establishment functions, such as temperatures, motion detectors, sanitary areas and the like, while others monitor employee activities. The interface unit is also connected to a plurality of control devices which both monitor and control essential activities, including sanitation, temperature, signals for smoke detection, pH levels, inventory and employee activities. Portable instruments are included with connection capabilities to the interface unit, and employee identification devices are also included.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,731,154 discloses optical sensors and methods for sensing optical radiation. The optical sensors and the optical sensing methods are used, for example, for controlling the operation of automatic faucets and flushers.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,989,780 discloses an ultraviolet (UV) fluorometric sensor that includes a controller, at least one UV light source and at least one UV detector for measuring a chemical concentration in a sample by measuring fluorescence of that sample. The controller calculates the concentration of the chemical in the sample based on the detected fluorescence emission.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,652,267 discloses an ultraviolet (UV) fluorometric sensor that measures a chemical concentration in a sample based on the measured fluorescence of the sample. The sensor includes a controller, at least one UV light source, and at least one UV detector. The UV detector measures the fluorescence emission from the sample and the controller transforms output signals from the UV detector into fluorescence values or optical densities for one or move wavelengths in the wavelength range of 265-340 nm. The controller calculates the chemical concentration of the chemical in the sample based on the measured fluorescence emissions.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,372,039 discloses a UV absorption spectrometer that includes a housing, a controller, and a sensor unit including an ultraviolet light source, an analytical area in an analytical cell or in running water or gaseous medium, and an UV wavelength separator including a UV detector. An ultraviolet light in a wavelength range of 200-320 nm emits from the light source through the analytical area to the wavelength separator, and a controller transforms output signals from the UV detector into absorbance values or optical densities for two or more wavelengths in the wavelength range, calculates differences of absorbance values or optical densities, determines a concentration of a chemical in the solution with calibration constants found for a known concentration of the chemical and the differences of the absorbance values or optical densities.